The weather warning left at least 100 tourists trapped on the St Martin's Island as ships and country boats were ordered off the sea. The Chittagong Port Authority suspended operations. Full Read (http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=28844)

ialbd

November 14, 2007, 02:15 PM

praying to the Almighty.....

Alhamdulillah the warning & evacuation system have improved......

cricket_pagol

November 14, 2007, 04:45 PM

praying to the Almighty.....

Alhamdulillah the warning & evacuation system have improved......

That's what I am hoping, there should be minimal causality this time. Everybody knows about this deadly cyclone...

By Anis Ahmed DHAKA (Reuters) - Strong winds lashed Bangladesh's Saint Martin's island on Thursday, ripping off tin roofs from houses and uprooting trees, as tens of thousands of mainlanders were evacuated to shelters ahead of a severe cyclone.
The winds began hitting the island, just off the country's southeastern tip of Teknaf, with a speed of about 100 kph (60 mph) from around noon, and gained strength gradually, said Moulvi Feroze Ahmed, a local government official.
"From my window, I can see tins ripped off the roofs and tree branches flying under the sky covered with thick clouds," Feroze told Reuters.
"It looks like the sea is coming to grab us," he said. "It has been rough with high waves. The storm has already triggered a three feet (one meter) high water surge."
Some 6,000 residents and nearly 70 tourists on the island had been evacuated to higher land, Feroze said.
Earlier, officials said the storm, classified category 4 by the weather tracker Tropical Storm Risk, would likely make landfall in Bangladesh, any time from around 2 p.m. (3 a.m. EST) with winds of more than 210 kph (130 mph).
Officials at Cox's Bazar, a popular tourist destination, said they had evacuated nearly 200,000 people to about 600 government and private shelters and asked others to move on their own.
"The shifting process is continuing," said Sajjadul Hasan, chief of the Cox's Bazar district administration. People heading for shelters were taking food, clothes and their cattle with them.
Storms batter the poor south Asian country every year, killing hundreds of people. A severe storm killed more than half a million people in 1970, while a 1991 storm killed 143,000 people and destroyed thousands of properties.
Nearly 10 million Bangladeshis live on the coastlines which usually takes the brunt of the cyclones but the areas have shelters for around only half a million.
Volunteers of the Cyclone Preparedness Centre were moving through villages, alerting people on loudspeakers about the impending danger.
hittagong and Mongla ports have suspended operations since Wednesday and moved ships to safer areas, port officials said. The Chittagong airport also suspended flights and moved planes to safer places, officials said. All schools and colleges in Chittagong and other towns in the storm's path have been shut down, they added.
Fishing trawlers have been asked to return to harbors immediately, fishing community leaders in Cox's Bazar said.
The storm may also hit parts of eastern India and Myanmar, meteorological officials said.
UNUSUAL CALM
In Chittagong, officials said they were worried by the unusual calm before the storm.
"This suggests the core of the storm has been static, but may suddenly move with super speed before it finally slams the shores," a meteorological official said.
The Bangladesh Meteorology Department raised danger signal number 10, the highest, at Mongla, Bangladesh's second main sea port, and number 9 at Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.
Officials said the storm was also expected to hit the eastern Indian coast as well as Sittewe in Myanmar.
The storm lay 530 km south of Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state, on Thursday.
"The storm will hit the West Bengal coast around midnight with wind speed up to 200 km per hour," B.P. Yadav, a senior weather official, said in New Delhi.
"We have suggested evacuation of people from the region," he added.
(Additional reporting by Serajul Islam Quadir in Dhaka, Bappa Majumdar in Kolkata and Reuters stringers in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Barisal and Khulna; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
Reuters (http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-11-15T100220Z_01_SP315166_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-BANGLADESH-STORM-COL.XML&archived=False)

Miraz

November 15, 2007, 05:56 AM

Really worried to see the scenario of Saint Martins and Cox's Bazar which are far away from the original path of Sidr, only God knows what's happening in the coastal villages of Bagherhat, Patuakhali and Sundarbans where the storm will hit directly.

May Allah help the poor people of India and Bangladesh. It's looking very scary at the moment.

samjad

November 15, 2007, 05:58 AM

Really really worried for my family and friends back home. I am from Sitakunda/Chittagong, Though our house is few miles away I have got friends and family living not far from the coast. In Kumira or Vatiary if the water rises like 91, Allah help us.

Hatebreed

November 15, 2007, 07:45 AM

I pray for our country and the lives of all the poor and helpless people in the region. I hope the gov't and army is taking every necessary step to evacuate these people and prepare for relief efforts. May Allah help us.

Mohiul

November 15, 2007, 08:42 AM

bdnews24 (http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=28930&cid=2) just published a bulletin saying that sidr hit Khulna-Barisal coast at 5 pm.

http://www.bdnews24.com/himage/top.jpg?1195134285418

samjad

November 15, 2007, 08:54 AM

According to NTV news at 7 pm BD time, hurricane started hitting Khulna area. Next few hours will be crucial.

Only Borguna reporter said people in that area aren't paying much attention to this, saying we heard that before and nothing happened!!!.

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 09:46 AM

From BDnews24.com:

The hurricane SIDR struck Khulna-Barisal coast shortly after 5pm Thursday, setting off driving rains in its path. In a 6pm bulletin, the Met office said the centre of the cyclone would cross the coast through the river Baleshwar in three hours' time. Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed rushed a meeting and asked government officials in 15 districts not to leave workplaces in order to cope with the aftermath of the hurricane that started cutting its path. CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters that control rooms had been opened in the vulnerable districts to mount constant watch on the situation.

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 09:48 AM

Zia international airport has cancelled all flights after 9 pm:
The Met office Thursday advised Zia International Airport to suspend all flights from 9pm until further notice as hurricane SIDR is expected to hit Bangladesh coasts in the evening. Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong suspended its flight operations at 10pm Wednesday until otherwise told.
Source: BDnews24.com

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 09:54 AM

Basically, the only good thing is that it's going north, which means it'll weaken due to land.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 06b (sidr) located approximately 120 nm south-
east of Calcutta, India, has tracked northward at 16 knots over the
past 06 hours. Tc 06b continues to track along the western periphery
of the subtropical steering ridge to the east and the increase in
the forward speed of motion has continued over the past 06 hours.
Tc 06b continues to display strong poleward outflow, but has begun
to feel some land influence as it approaches the coast of bangladesh.
The storm has weakened slightly from its peak intensity and now has
a current intensity of 130 knots. The intensity is based on Dvorak
T-numbers of 6.5/7.0 from pgtw at 151130z, and a CIRA multiplatform
satellite intensity estimate of 135 knots at 151200z. The storm will
continue to track northward and will make landfall along the south-
western coast of bangladesh prior to tau 06. The storm will track
more northeastward after landfall and will steadily weaken due to
land interaction and an increase in the vertical wind shear. Tc 06b
will dissipate over land prior to tau 48. The available objective
aids are in good agreement with this forecast scenario. Maximum
significant wave height at 151200z is 40 feet. Next warnings at
162100z, 160300z, 160900z, and 161500z.//

DS is a real star at keeping their site current. Within the matter of a few hours, they've got the news published. Kudos to them.

SIDR makes landfall in Sundarbans

Hurricane SIDR hit the coastal areas of Sundarbands this evening and expected to make landfall in Khulna-Barisal belt crossing the Baleshwar river between 9:00pm to 10:00pm tonight, a Met Office bulletin said.

The powerful hurricane with 160 to 180 kph wind speed hit Hiron Point, Khepupara and Dublarchar coastlines in Sundarbans at about 5:00pm, the Met bulletin added.

It is now centred 150 km off the Mongla Port.

Meanwhile, coastal areas of Mongla, Barisal and Khulna are experiencing storms accompanied with heavy downpours as a prelude to the impending natural calamity. Over1000 fishermen went missing after 300 fishing trawlers sank in the Bay during the storms.

A latest Met Office special bulletin said great danger signal number 10 was advised to hoist for Mongla seaport while great danger signal number 9 for Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar seaports.

The hurricane intensity was centred at about 385 kms south-southwest of Chittagong port, 345 kms southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 265 kms south of Mongla port this afternoon.

Emergency cabinet meeting is going on to find a way out to minimise the possible damage that is expected to cause as the hurricane began lashing the country’s coastlines.

Thousands of people were evacuated from the vulnerable coastal areas including Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, visualising the incoming ravaging picture of the powerful cyclone.

Under the influence of the hurricane, the whole country including the capital is experiencing drizzling with gusty winds.

Leave of the government officials and employees in coastal districts has been cancelled. The government ordered them to remain at their respective stations and joined hands with the emergency operations to evacuate people from coastal localities to safer places.

Waterway communications across the country is also suspended following the calamity.

Coastguard and patrol police were directed to ensure security of the people taking shelter at different shelter centres.

The air force has been asked to aid rescue operations and airdrop relief supplies by their helicopters.

The coastal districts of Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakati, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira, Jessore and their offshore islands and chars will remain under the great danger signal No 10.

Besides, the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will remain under the great signal No 9.

If the storm threatens lives, and has the ability to uproot trees, what will happen to the Royal Bengal Tigers? They're out roaming around freely in the Sundarbans, and that's exactly where the storm has hit first.

God forbid, but could this mean that we'll lose some of these priceless animals? That's equally sad you know.

ialbd

November 15, 2007, 11:45 AM

I have a question.

If the storm threatens lives, and has the ability to uproot trees, what will happen to the Royal Bengal Tigers? They're out roaming around freely in the Sundarbans, and that's exactly where the storm has hit first.

God forbid, but could this mean that we'll lose some of these priceless animals? That's equally sad you know.

nature will protect itself. The tigers (or the wildlife) have survived and evolved for hundreds of years... there were hurricanes & cyclones bigger than this that hit Sundarban for sure....

inshAllah our national prides will be fine.....

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 11:48 AM

nature will protect itself.

Hopefully it will.

The tigers (or the wildlife) have survived and evolved for hundreds of years... there were hurricanes & cyclones bigger than this that hit Sundarban for sure....

I don't think so! Haven't heard of any myself.

Rabz

November 15, 2007, 12:08 PM

Guys... the situation is extreme here.
The news that's coming from the tele is NOT GOOD AT ALL.

the whole southern part of bangladesh is experiencing the force of the cyclone which is hitting at 220-240 km/hr.

there is no electricity in the whole area.

almost 500 tourists are trapped in saint martin island..(both local and foreign tourists)...
the cyclone is heading towards dhaka... meant to pass from outside dhaka in about couple of hours time..

everyone plz pray for those who are badly affected.

ammark

November 15, 2007, 12:11 PM

Its been raining in dhaka all day... but more like drizzle. What has been unusual is the cold, and its VERY windy. I was out one hour back... then it was VERY windy as is now, but the rain wasnt like a downpour yet. Its still a drizzle. Lots of Lightning though.

billah

November 15, 2007, 12:13 PM

DS is a real star at keeping their site current. Within the matter of a few hours, they've got the news published. Kudos to them.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/latest/updates.php?pid=-98

Early yesterday, I emailed DS. Told them that all indications were that this was gonna be a biggy. And that our government probably did not know the severity of the impending storm. I specifically requested them to make this a high priority. I asked them to help create public awareness about it also.

Well I'm kinda glad that they are giving it the proper coverage since yesterday.

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 12:23 PM

Billah bhai: That was a great effort. The results are evident.

Rabz: Does it mean Dhaka will be among the effected areas? The news is certainly not good. I don't have a phone card, so can't call home. :(

ialbd

November 15, 2007, 12:32 PM

I don't think so! Haven't heard of any myself.

kabir bhai, what I meant was there must have been a deadlier hurricane lets say a thousand years ago, and the modern meteorological records probably doesnt go that far.... so we wouldnt know...

but whatever the case is, we have to keep praying to the Almighty, because Mother nature still has the upper hand....

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 12:36 PM

Hmmm...sorry misunderstood earlier.

Thank God my dad came on MSN. I was dead worried.
Funny enough, he's saying "Just returned from a Saxophone session".
I'm like...:head:

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 12:40 PM

My dad just spoke with his cousin in Sandweep, and he informed me that things are fine in Sandweep. All our relatives there have been reported to be fine Alhamdulillah.

Trying to reach Chittagong.

Kabir

November 15, 2007, 12:41 PM

Okay, he called Chittagong to my Nana and Khala, and they all seem to be doing allright in Ctg. They live in Agrabad and Chittagong College areas.

NTV news reporter from Bhola saying there's already flooding started. SIDR isn't moving as fast as everyone expected, in the mean time it's time for High Tide now. So water is rising 5 to 6 feet more than expected.

Tigers_eye

November 15, 2007, 02:39 PM

...May be the worst hit areas are in Khulna.
These are only warning shots. The real one can't save any of us. The way Sunderban was designed and placed, the creator made sure the worst part can be embraced by the forrest. Luckily the locality didn't get a direct hit. Allah maaf koruk shokol kay.

----------

The 1991 report above is misleading. For sure the dailies had headlines with 200,000+ missing in one night. The wind was so fearsome that the brances of the trees which remained standing way in the in-lands, scratched against each other and produced fire and got burnt. I visited Chittagong and potenga after a month and could still see the distruction. There wasn't any Potenga beach left. The Ocean just dug in and only the Potenga Highway barely survived. The Naval Base was lucky to sustain minimul damage there. In Chittagong, ships were found 3-5 miles in side from the coast lines. The Port was closed for over a month because the a ship sank where the entrace of the port was. 14 ships (Frieght cariers) were stuck. Surge was over 15 feet. There were 40 fighter plans (Air Force), which could not take of on time destroyed. Several navy gun boats were cracked in the harbor from the constant lashing of the waves. This was the highest damage ever (without a war) that was inflicted to a nation known to mankind.

As for the common people, those who survived in the coastal area lost everything they had. The water rush was so quick many even could not make it to shelter living few feet away from it.

I pray we don't see any of those again.

cricket_pagol

November 15, 2007, 06:27 PM

These are only warning shots. The real one can't save any of us. The way Sunderban was designed and placed, the creator made sure the worst part can be embraced by the forrest. Luckily the locality didn't get a direct hit. Allah maaf koruk shokol kay.

----------

The 1991 report above is misleading. For sure the dailies had headlines with 200,000+ missing in one night. The wind was so fearsome that the brances of the trees which remained standing way in the in-lands, scratched against each other and produced fire and got burnt. I visited Chittagong and potenga after a month and could still see the distruction. There wasn't any Potenga beach left. The Ocean just dug in and only the Potenga Highway barely survived. The Naval Base was lucky to sustain minimul damage there. In Chittagong, ships were found 3-5 miles in side from the coast lines. The Port was closed for over a month because the a ship sank where the entrace of the port was. 14 ships (Frieght cariers) were stuck. Surge was over 15 feet. There were 40 fighter plans (Air Force), which could not take of on time destroyed. Several navy gun boats were cracked in the harbor from the constant lashing of the waves. This was the highest damage ever (without a war) that was inflicted to a nation known to mankind.

As for the common people, those who survived in the coastal area lost everything they had. The water rush was so quick many even could not make it to shelter living few feet away from it.

I pray we don't see any of those again.

According to DS
April 29 -30, 1991: A cyclone hit Bangladesh at late night of April 29. The storm originated in the Pacific Ocean and reached the Bay of Bengal coast after 20 days. The maximum wind speed reached 225-km per hour. Official death toll: 150,000

Why was preparedness so poor in 1991, when we had ample time to provide warnings.

It seems Chitagong, coxsbazar and St martin has escaped the fury of the storm, but the barisal-Khulna belt is the worst victim. Let's hope for the best.

Hatebreed

November 15, 2007, 06:44 PM

So guys what's the latest news? Is it over? Has there been any casualties? I hope all of you who live or have families in the affected region are safe. I also hope Allah will protect our precious wildlife in the Sundarbans.

Sovik

November 15, 2007, 07:38 PM

its been raining badly in sirajganj. hope everything will be fine

Alien

November 15, 2007, 10:07 PM

Basically, the only good thing is that it's going north, which means it'll weaken due to land.

Obviously. The bad thing is people on those land will bear the brunt.

billah

November 16, 2007, 02:09 AM

The death toll is rising....

From 2 to 24 to 41 in the last few hours. May Allah have mercy on all of us...

Nocturnal

November 16, 2007, 02:48 AM

Cyclone kills 250, snaps utilities :(
Fri, Nov 16th, 2007 1:49 pm BdST
Dhaka, Nov 16 (bdnews24.com) - The mega-cyclone SIDR that ripped through the coastal zones overnight has killed at least 200 people and cut off communications and electricity supplies across the country, officials said Friday.
The storm packing winds of 250 kph continued its severest onslaughts on the southern coast from about 5:30pm Thursday to about 1:00am Friday before losing intensity, witnesses said.
Chief adviser Fakhruuddin Ahmed is scheduled to visit the low-lying coastal district of Barguna that was the worst hit, counting no fewer than 67 deaths.
Barisal had 42 deaths, Patuakhali 40, Bagerhat 15, Khulna 11, Gopalganj 10, Bhola 5, Satkhira 3 and Faridpur 1, as a 15-feet tidal surge slammed into 15 coastal districts.
more (http://www.bdnews24.com/home.php)

Antora

November 16, 2007, 03:35 AM

:(:(:( why does this have to happen why? why? why?!!!!!:( May allah help the people of our cuntry.

MohammedC

November 16, 2007, 04:11 AM

Its really sad news our country gets hit one natural disaster after another.

Ganguly da

November 16, 2007, 04:22 AM

a minute of silence should be observed for all the victims. Also the demand of clean water and dry food would go up after the storm subsides.

ammark

November 16, 2007, 04:37 AM

writing in from dhaka by cell phone- the winds really picked up in dhaka around 2am and the rains started pouring. The power went out then and all of dhaka is still under blackout till now. Just got an update that some areas have gotten back power, but not here in banani. Lots of fallen big trees, some collapsed walls and waterlogged streets that are slowly draining. Its quite cold & very cloudy but not raining since morning. No access to tv news since no power for 13 hours. Radio however reported that fatalities in inland districts are mostly single figures. However 44 ppl died in barguna alone. Petrol & cng stns are closed due to blackout. Its really awkward without fuel & media blackout.

Miraz

November 16, 2007, 04:40 AM

writing in from dhaka by cell phone- the winds really picked up in dhaka around 2am and the rains started pouring. The power went out then and all of dhaka is still under blackout till now. Just got an update that some areas have gotten back power, but not here in banani. Lots of fallen big trees, some collapsed walls and waterlogged streets that are slowly draining. Its quite cold & very cloudy but not raining since morning. No access to tv news since no power for 13 hours. Radio however reported that fatalities in inland districts are mostly single figures. However 44 ppl died in barguna alone. Petrol & cng stns are closed due to blackout. Its really awkward without fuel & media blackout.

Thanks for the update ammark. If the situation of Dhaka is like this, only Allah knows what's the situation in Barisal, Patuakhali, Bagherhat and Khulna!!!

Countrywide powercut for 13 hours!!, it seems worse than 1991. :(

cricket_dorshok

November 16, 2007, 07:06 AM

The news is in the Yahoo front page.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071116/ap_on_re_as/bangladesh_cyclone

is it just me or does it seem like disasters only hit the poor and downtrodden?

when was the last time a developed nation got screwed by mother nature????

al Furqaan

November 16, 2007, 08:47 AM

writing in from dhaka by cell phone- the winds really picked up in dhaka around 2am and the rains started pouring. The power went out then and all of dhaka is still under blackout till now. Just got an update that some areas have gotten back power, but not here in banani. Lots of fallen big trees, some collapsed walls and waterlogged streets that are slowly draining. Its quite cold & very cloudy but not raining since morning. No access to tv news since no power for 13 hours. Radio however reported that fatalities in inland districts are mostly single figures. However 44 ppl died in barguna alone. Petrol & cng stns are closed due to blackout. Its really awkward without fuel & media blackout.

any word on how things are at the house in mohammadpur? they used to never have blackouts there last time i visited in 2003...

al Furqaan

November 16, 2007, 08:50 AM

delete

Mohiul

November 16, 2007, 09:31 AM

latest update from bdnews24 regarding casualties: 587 so far

is it just me or does it seem like disasters only hit the poor and downtrodden?

when was the last time a developed nation got screwed by mother nature????

developed nations like usa do get screwed by nature but their casualties minimal because they are developed.

Tigers_eye

November 16, 2007, 09:32 AM

is it just me or does it seem like disasters only hit the poor and downtrodden?

when was the last time a developed nation got screwed by mother nature????
katrina was worse in every possible way. Wind speed over 200mph. water surge close to 30 feet.

What saved us this time was when the cyclone Sidr hit land it was "bhata". Hence the water rise was relatively low. When it left the coastal area "joar" came in. Therefore the water didn't go away as quickly as expected.

Miraz

November 16, 2007, 10:05 AM

USA is offering help for the disaster management. US marines are getting ready to co-ordinate the relief effort.

U.S. military officials said Friday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates was ready to dispatch Navy (http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/u_s_navy) vessels carrying 3,500 Marines to the region to help in recovery efforts.
It is expected that the USS Kearsarge and USS Wasp would move from the Gulf of Oman. Also the USS Tarawa recently left Hawaii so it could go to Bangladesh as well, officials said.

From CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/16/bangladesh.cyclone/index.html)

akabir77

November 16, 2007, 10:33 AM

USA is offering help for the disaster management. US marines are getting ready to co-ordinate the relief effort.

From CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/16/bangladesh.cyclone/index.html)

there you go who else would show up? I don't see any one from canada or uk or australia or india...

akabir77

November 16, 2007, 10:34 AM

latest update from bdnews24 regarding casualties: 587 so far

developed nations like usa do get screwed by nature but their casualties minimal because they are developed.

and forgot about katrina already?:-P

Farhad

November 16, 2007, 11:24 AM

Death toll up to 1100 according to MSN. :(

Kabir

November 16, 2007, 11:27 AM

May the victims' souls rest in peace.

Just sad...simply sad that this is happening to our country. One after the other.

We, at BC, should unite and organize something. This time we should start any efforts immediately.

Kabir

November 16, 2007, 11:29 AM

Death toll up to 1100 according to MSN. :(

That's simply insane. I'm afraid it'll be more, and it's only a matter of time when we find out. Plus, the aftereffects are probably worse - disease, lack of food, poverty, and so on.

reverse_swing

November 16, 2007, 12:44 PM

Electricity may have to wait up to 3 days, says govt

It may take up to three days to restore power to homes and businesses that have been darkened by a fierce cyclone with battering winds, a government spokesman said Friday. The national grid tripped twice after the cyclone struck the country, he said. Power secretary Faozul Kabir Khan, meanwhile, told bdnews24.com Friday evening that the grid broke down for a second time in the afternoon as the demand far exceeded the production. "We could not restart the units near Dhaka. Many parts of the country were out of power. We will be able to supply 1000 megawatts shortly if things go right.

-BDNews24 (http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=29028)

Tigers_eye

November 16, 2007, 12:52 PM

3 days is a blessing. The new govt whoever will come to power must address power issues as well.

ammark

November 16, 2007, 01:20 PM

current came back on the other end of our road 40-50 min ago... but we got it only 20 min ago. Thats 22-23 hours blackout. Slowly power is returning to the neighbourhoods in Dhaka. Luckily my para'r ethernet-based internetwallah is up and running. Since my last update....

GrameenPhone's network was down for a long time so many people were out of touch, there was still no cng and petrol, so I was pretty immobile. Many of my friends came to my place after dark (generator in flat building) just to recharge their mobile phones, since charge was running out for everyone. As for the generator, since there was suddenly increased demand from all the flat buildings, diesel was rationed at Tk.600 per person (building). During the generator hours, we could watch BTV which was next to useless. But our access to news is probably as good as all yours'. When Radio Today was claiming more than 600 (10pm) dead with the worst hits being at Patuakhali and Barguna, BTV was claiming at 500. BTV's pictures showed that much of the south is inundated or destroyed.

The best news coverage in those dark hours came from BBC Bangla's Porikroma at 10:30pm. They have interviews of the village fishermen direct from Bagerhat. Hearing them was the most direct news yet. Right now since power came back, NTV and Channel i are showing silly programs and talk shows. I am waiting for the 1 am news.

The worst bit of the past 24 hours has been the inaccessability to the media. I hope we can get a truer and clearer post disaster picture now.

Bengaliprince176

November 16, 2007, 01:23 PM

just spoke to my Grandparents in Kolkata, it just missed the city, as it has done the last couple of times, Bangladesh been hit badly compared to Eastern States of India (West bengal mainly) not sure of the death toll there though.

may the victimes rest in peace and the authorities act quickly and efficintly

cricket_pagol

November 16, 2007, 01:42 PM

Guys, I think we need new fund raising initiative to support the victims of this cyclone.

shaoun

November 16, 2007, 02:04 PM

Guys, I think we need new fund raising initiative to support the victims of this cyclone.
i was just thinking the same thing. please start raising money here in banglacricket.

Kabir

November 16, 2007, 02:24 PM

Given the response and success of our last fundraising initiative, I think our BC community is going to give even more this time.

Please admins, can we have something set up soon?

SS

November 16, 2007, 02:52 PM

There is energy crisis as power went down, food crisis especially water quality. Not only people died, Sundarban might lost its inhabitants.

" Environmentalists and bio-diversity experts fear immense loss to the Sundarbans and its wildlife, as the brunt of hurricane Sidr was borne by the world's largest mangrove forest.

Sidr, with a ferocious wind force of over 220 kilometres per hour (kmph), hit the eastern parts of the forest, especially Chandpai range including Kochikhali, Kotka, Hiron Point, and Dublarchar, leaving a trail of severe devastation. The uprooted trees and destroyed houses on the edge of the forest are reminiscent of the devastation brought to the forest by the cyclone of 1988, sources said.

In 1988, according to official records, nine tigers and several hundred deer perished when a six feet high tidal surge accompanied by 160 kmph wind hit the Sundarbans. Several newspapers published photographs of the corpses of deer, tigers and other wildlife.

But the damage done to the forest by Sidr with its seven feet high tidal surge accompanied with a wind speed of over 220 kmph might be much worse than before. .."

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=11995

Dhurr

November 16, 2007, 04:08 PM

The death toll is rising....

From 2 to 24 to 41 in the last few hours. May Allah have mercy on all of us...

I was very optimistic until I had read this post. Today morning, I read the stories on yahoo and bbc, and came back to this thread, and now I don't even know what to say. The only thing I keep thinking about is just how brave our fellow Bangladeshis are who live in the coastal regions and brave one natural calamity after another.

akabir77

November 16, 2007, 04:16 PM

shamokal reported that a tiger took shelter to a human home and they rode the cyclone together...

ialbd

November 16, 2007, 04:24 PM

shamokal reported that a tiger took shelter to a human home and they rode the cyclone together...

yea just read that on some other newspaper. Kabir bhai, bagh gula shob bhaloi ase mone hochhe..... they are taking care of themselves...

its time to rebuild.....

cricket_pagol

November 16, 2007, 04:38 PM

shamokal reported that a tiger took shelter to a human home and they rode the cyclone together...

This is crazy... in times of danger every one is united.

cricket_pagol

November 16, 2007, 04:48 PM

It seems Sundarbaan and the fact that sidr crossed the coastal area during low tide saved us. But still, the amount of damage done in the coastal area is phenomenal. We have to do some thing to help our nation, i hope our political parties play a proactive role this time.

Farhad

November 16, 2007, 05:46 PM

Im glad the death toll hasnt risen in the last five hours. Lets hope the final number is something close...

ialbd

November 16, 2007, 06:07 PM

I am actually shocked to learn the death toll. Thousand casualty after all the preparation??

the administration should throughly point out the cause of these loss of lives. Did these ppl die even after taking the necessary (govt) measure?

Praying to the Almighty for the departed souls....

Hatebreed

November 16, 2007, 06:29 PM

I just heard on tv about reports of the death toll surpassing 2000, although there has been no official announcement. May the departed souls rest in peace.

cricket_pagol

November 16, 2007, 07:18 PM

I am actually shocked to learn the death toll. Thousand casualty after all the preparation??

the administration should throughly point out the cause of these loss of lives. Did these ppl die even after taking the necessary (govt) measure?

Praying to the Almighty for the departed souls....

Dude, when a cyclone of similar strength hit bangladesh in 1991, the death toll was around 100,000. So i think the govt has done a fabulous job in evacuating people. I agree with you that we need to find reasons for th death of so any people.

I think that a lot of the people who died are stranded fisherman and people from communities that live in very inaccessible chars/islands. The BBC report about the cyclone mentioned that police had to use force to evacuate people in many instances.

Kabir

November 16, 2007, 07:29 PM

I am actually shocked to learn the death toll. Thousand casualty after all the preparation??

Someone in this thread posted about some localities near Khulna where some people refused to take shelter. The reason was: last time we took shelter, nothing happened; why should we take it this time?

I think the main concern is related more to awareness. Although these people live in the coastal areas, or zones where there could be a potential "natural disaster", many don't remember what happened almost one and a half decades ago. May be they never saw that cyclone, coz at that time it was more in Chittagong.

I love the initiatives our past govts took for raising awareness about diharea, sex preference, healthy living, education, and so on. It's probably time to raise awareness about two very important issues - what one should/could do in case of flood and natural diasters like cyclones.

At least 1,100 people have reportedly been killed by a powerful cyclone that has pummelled Bangladesh.
Friday, aid workers desparately struggled to help hundreds of thousands of survivors of Tropical Cyclone Sidr. More than 600,000 people have been left homeless by the storm, the worst storm in a decade. Millions more are without power.

Rabz

November 17, 2007, 01:15 AM

Ah..back after a day of power blackout, media blackout, mobile blackout and being cut off from the world..

Back from the stone age...
...and into the harsh reality, reality that i was fearing the most..

Last time i posted on this thread (while still being in blackout), it was probably around midnight when the storm was passing thru Pirojpur, my home district.

..And from my uncle's tele-message just before the Sidr hit our village, i was fearin the worst and it was.

Everything on that part of the world has literally flattened.
Luckily in our family, none was hurt and the brickwall house still stands firm, but that wasnt the case for a lot . Even our neighbour, who is a poor village farmer as you could imagine, lost his livelihood, 5 cows.

One 10 year old girl died on the khal"canal" just behind our house ( probably about 200m behind).

Lots of houses got thier roofs uprooted.

In my mom's family house in Bagerhat ( the famous Shat Gombuz Majar, my grandma is his direct descendant), the scale of devastation and destruction is massive. One could not possibly write down in words how bad it is.

One of my uncle who lives in Khulna, went straight to our village yesterday to check out the devastation and to do the needful. It took him 12 hours to travel a distance that usually takes 2 hours. He rode on a bike with one of his friend, and they had to stop countless number of times on the road to clear the uprooted trees, or carry the bikes on thier shoulder to clear the distance it was impossible to get pass the trees.

As i have a lot of relatives in that area of Khulna, Pirojpur, Barisal, Bagerhat district ( in fact ALL my paternal/maternal relatives comes from that part of the world), im just thankful to God that there havent bn any casulties, but the loss of property and livelihood has been really dishearting. Its gonna take years for this people to stand on thier feet again, before they get brought down by another flood, torrential rain, cyclone and/or if not, by the next government.

Coming back to my own experience being safe and sound at Dhaka.

I have not experienced anything quite like this. Even though Dhaka was not on Sidr's direct pathway and only was on the outside of the eye of tiger while the cyclone was crossing over River Padman( i assume), and only after the it has weakend to a great extend after travelling few hundred kms into the mainland, the magnitude of devastation could be felt even from my safe house.

It started short after midnight, probably an hour after i logged off from BC as their was no electricity and my notebook was running out of battery. I went to bed, only to be waken up the gutsy, strong wind not quiet anything i've experienced before.
The whole house felt like trembling. Sitting there in the safe closure of my warm bed, i could only imagine what those people in the worst affected area would hv bn thru.

If Dhaka, amidst all those high rises and so so far away from the main storm, was shaking, no wonder all those ill-fated region was flattened out.

...i'll continue on my own experience later on.....

Nocturnal

November 17, 2007, 01:32 AM

Thanks for the update Rabz. Don't know what to say, but I'm really glad that your family members outside dhaka doing ok.
I talked with my parents and younger sister few times at Dhaka and they all said same like you said- "strong wind not quiet anything i've experienced before.The whole house felt like trembling." Finally they got their power back this morning after day and half.

Antora

November 17, 2007, 02:02 AM

WOW! Rabz bhaiya, its good to hear all your family members are okay!
i was watching the news and seeing all those afected areas, it makes me want to do something for those people. And maybe... i just will....

One World

November 17, 2007, 02:06 AM

The people those died are mostly careless or carefree bunch who love to mingle with nature and fight it as being inside of it or people who has more need to get the food on the table(if they have one) rather fear death! Funny that still we have needy and poor of that category.

al Furqaan

November 17, 2007, 11:42 AM

shouldn't BC organize another donation drive...seems this bigger than the recent flood damage.

and hopefully i will be able to contribute something this time around (feeling guilty about last time tho i expect our local mosque to have a fundraiser this friday).

Mohiul

November 17, 2007, 11:47 AM

May Allah bless all those who are affected by this devastating sidr.

The latest figure of casualties 1723 and wounded more than 4000

BanCricFan

November 17, 2007, 02:08 PM

May Allah bless all those who are affected by this devastating sidr.

The latest figure of casualties 1723 and wounded more than 4000

Aamim! Aamin!

Mohiul

November 17, 2007, 02:52 PM

Daily Amadershomoy & Daily Ittefaq speculating that the number of casualties may cross 3000 and as per Daily Nayadiganta it may cross 10,000

Hatebreed

November 17, 2007, 07:44 PM

May Allah help all those affected by this devastation. Even though a lot of people died, I think it could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for the fast evacuation. If all the people heeded the warning perhaps more lives could have saved. I just hope the gov't is doing all it can to care for the wounded, homeless and damaged environment.

BC please organise another donation initiative so we can do our part.

billah

November 18, 2007, 12:13 AM

I just heard the 10k casualty figure also. This is a major disaster....they are just beginning to find out.

Is it time for another drive, guys? We need to respond. At least we have better logistical support now. We should start the effort immediately.

ialbd

November 18, 2007, 12:57 AM

I just heard the 10k casualty figure also. This is a major disaster....they are just beginning to find out.

Is it time for another drive, guys? We need to respond. At least we have better logistical support now. We should start the effort immediately.

10,000 !!!!! it cant be !!! how ??

Rabz

November 18, 2007, 01:33 AM

The figures might not be as big as 10k, but it will be around 5k in my opinion.

The govt has done really really well to minimise the figures this time around.

The military had to use force and beat up people to get them out of their homes to evacuate places and take them to the shelters.

What actually happened was that last time when they had the tsunami warning, people fled withought knowing what "tsunami" is..
and it never came.

So this time around, a lot were reluctant to leave house, oot only for the expectation of nothing will happen. But at the same time, there is a big problem of theft, stolen and looting once ppl leave the house. An empty house would hv bn a safe-haven for those opportunist.

But when the cyclone hit with the massive force it had, a lot panicked and then started to run for shelters. They boarded on boat, trawlers, or whatever way they could.

And thats when a lot of them died. Onboard those little hapless boats in the middle of 220 km/hr, their carriage capsized and they were swept away by the sea.

And another big lot died when their house collapsed. Almost 80-90% houses are literally flattened in those areas.

The news reports are unbearable. And its going to get only worse.
The dead bodies have started to surface up after few days being drowned. The real figure are slowly starting to rise, but it is going to rise dramatically.

DHAKA, Bangladesh - The death toll from a cyclone that devastated Bangladesh has surpassed 2,200, officials said Sunday, while rescuers struggled through blocked paths to reach hundreds of thousands of survivors awaiting aid in wrecked homes and flooded fields.
The government deployed military helicopters, naval ships and thousands of troops to join international agencies and local officials in the rescue mission following Tropical Cyclone Sidr. The U.S. and other countries also offered assistance.
At least 2,206 people have died since the storm struck Bangladesh on Thursday, said Selina Shahid of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management. The toll could rise still higher as more information comes in from battered regions.
Disaster Management Secretary Aiyub Bhuiyan met Sunday with representatives from the United Nations and international aid groups to discuss the massive relief effort.
"The donors wanted to know about our plan and how they can come forward to stand by the victims," Bhuiyan told reporters. "We have briefed them about what we need immediately."
Rescuers struggled to clear roads and get their vehicles through, but many found the way impassable. "We will try again ... on bicycles, and hire local country boats," M. Shakil Anwar of CARE said from the city of Khulna.
At least 1.5 million coastal villagers had fled to shelters where they were given emergency rations, said senior government official Ali Imam Majumder in the capital, Dhaka.
The worst-hit area was Bagerhat district, where 610 people died, said Ashraful Zaman, an official at a cyclone monitoring center in Dhaka.
"We have seen more bodies floating in the sea," fisherman Zakir Hossain from the country's southwest said, after reaching shore with two decomposing bodies he and other fishermen had found on their way.
Sidr's 150 mph winds smashed tens of thousands of homes Thursday in southwestern Bangladesh and ruined crops just before the harvest season. Ferries were flung ashore like toy boats.
Aid organizations said they feared food shortages and contaminated water could lead to widespread problems if people remain stranded.
Storms batter impoverished, low-lying Bangladesh every year, often killing large numbers of people. This time a government early warning program saved a vast number of lives, U.N. Resident Coordinator Renata Dessallien said in a statement.
However, property damage was massive. Many evacuees who returned home Saturday found their bamboo-and-straw huts flattened.
"We survived, but what we need now is help to rebuild our homes," said Chand Miah of the small island of Maran Char.
An estimated 2.7 million people were affected and 773,000 houses were damaged, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management. Roughly 250,000 cattle and poultry perished, and crops were destroyed along huge swaths of land.
The government said it has allocated $5.2 million in emergency aid for rebuilding houses.
Several countries pledged to help.

The U.S. government has provided $2.1 million in initial emergency relief, White House press secretary Dana Perino said, noting that President Bush offered condolences to victims.
She said that the ships USS Essex and the USS Kearsage were en route to Bangladesh to help with relief operations, and that the U.S. would airlift 35 tons of non-food items such as plastic sheeting and hygiene kits.
The United Nations released $7 million, while the German government offered $731,000. The European Union released $2.2 million, and British officials said they would give $5 million. The Rome-based World Food Program was rushing in food, and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society was sending thousands of workers to stricken areas.

Xavier

November 18, 2007, 12:05 PM

I'm following the news about the disaster on the internet. It looks like the devastation has been huge, and I have my thoughts for the people affected... I hope all international organizations make their best to help Bangladesh population to get relief as soon as possible, because it is really needed... hold on and unity of people will help to recover!

israr

November 18, 2007, 04:05 PM

May the departed souls rest in peace. Before Sidr actually hit Bangladesh and was only approaching its target, news channels revealed that even after continual warnings, the people in coastal areas were ignorant about Sidr. I guess the majority of the 2200 people killed had that thinking, which led to their demise.

billah

November 19, 2007, 03:07 AM

More & more, my initial fears are coming true. I suspected that the government did not understand the magnitute of this.... perfect storm. As more rescue workers and news reporters are gaining access to more areas, the magnitude of the hit is coming into picture. It's horrific.

Are bc members going to come together to do something to help Bangladesh? Even a little bit helps. It makes a difference.

PoorFan

November 19, 2007, 04:06 AM

3rd time natural disaster in a year, god knows best the sin and the pain ( to be paid ) of this poorland.

I am waiting for another fund rise drive from BC, no way an easy job but hope admin will try their best.

Alien

November 19, 2007, 08:59 AM

Government should take action to ensure a proper cyclone warning system is placed. Not just some gadget in the middle of the ocean but give military adequate power during approaching power to boot out and move populations from coastal areas.

Given how big our population is, that too is no easy job.

mona

November 19, 2007, 12:10 PM

... for all the wrong reasons :(

Tale of Slavery in Sea (http://http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12207)

It was a grim reminder of modern day slavery when the navy yesterday rescued 106 people from Meher Ali Island in the Bay, 110km off Mongla. The cyclone that took away the lives of so many had worked as a bane for them when the navy rescue team reached them by chance.

Badly sun-burnt and injured from beatings by their "masters"--rich fish traders and one name was mentioned by everyone, Major (retd) Ziauddin, often dubbed in this inaccessible land as the lord of the jungle island--these people were tricked by middlemen who lured them with the promise of good jobs. Then they landed in hell--confined by the cruel sea on all sides and their cash and other belongings seized. All of them had a story to tell that sounded too grotesque to believe. Yet they were all true.Another reminder of the long long road ahead. I hope those 'masters' get what they deserve.

Tigers_eye

November 19, 2007, 02:14 PM

More & more, my initial fears are coming true. I suspected that the government did not understand the magnitute of this.... perfect storm. As more rescue workers and news reporters are gaining access to more areas, the magnitude of the hit is coming into picture. It's horrific.

Are bc members going to come together to do something to help Bangladesh? Even a little bit helps. It makes a difference.
Billah bhai,
I think we dodged the real perfect strom. The cyclone hit land when there was an 'ebb'. If it was a 'tide' add another 7/8 feet of water surge. Everything would have vanish. There wouldn't be any destruction left for us to see even. May Allah have mercy.

I ask everyone to pitch in whatever they can.

ialbd

November 19, 2007, 02:59 PM

Big blow to Sundarbans

http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12339

it could have been much much worse.....

Murad

November 19, 2007, 03:10 PM

More than 2,000 people were killed, according to official numbers, and the toll could eventually reach 10,000. But even as Bangladesh begins a massive cleanup operation, many are thankful that it wasn't much worse. As devastating as it was, Sidr has taken far fewer lives than 1991's Cyclone Gorky, which killed at least 138,000 people, and 1970's Bhola, which left as many as 500,000 people dead and is considered the deadliest cyclone, and one of the worst natural disasters, in human history.

Still, keeping future death tolls low is likely to get a lot harder. Scientists believe that global warming will make cyclones in the region bigger and more frequent. That's bad news for Bangladesh, whose location and geography makes it not only particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change but also extremely hard to protect. Most of Bangladesh sits on the giant alluvial delta created by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, whose courses are constantly shifting, making it difficult to build up river banks to protect farmland.

Billah bhai,
I think we dodged the real perfect strom. The cyclone hit land when there was an 'ebb'. If it was a 'tide' add another 7/8 feet of water surge. Everything would have vanish. There wouldn't be any destruction left for us to see even. May Allah have mercy.

I ask everyone to pitch in whatever they can.

The news sources here say that the cyclone was "tightly packed" in other words that it's diameter was probably far less than other tropical cyclone. Which also means that stuff within it's diameter coped heavy drilling as opposed to those cyclones.

That's why the damage is far less than previous ones.

akabir77

November 19, 2007, 03:39 PM

"Many of us climbed up in trees in the Sundarban forest, but I fell down in panic when I saw a tiger below," said a fisherman on Dublarchar island. "The waves then swept me further into the mangrove and I found myself alive when the cyclone was over."

here is the rest (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071119/wl_nm/bangladesh_storm_dc_34)

DJ Sahastra

November 19, 2007, 04:09 PM

These are difficult times. I can only hope and pray for the well-being of the affected families.

zahid

November 19, 2007, 06:52 PM

10,000 Fearred dead. :(

Ganguly da

November 19, 2007, 08:25 PM

there you go who else would show up? I don't see any one from canada or uk or australia or india...

A huge amount of reported article has flooded the internet about Sidr. CNN in Robin Meade's show are consecutively showing the news with much emphasis.

Here is one article that really had some heedful citations:

How Bangladesh Survived the Cyclone By SIMON ROBINSON

In all, some 27 million people were affected by Cyclone Sidr, the category 4 storm that swept through Bangladesh last week, flattening houses, damaging buildings and roads, and destroying thousands of acres of crops. More than 2,000 people were killed, according to official numbers, and the toll could eventually reach 10,000. But even as Bangladesh begins a massive cleanup operation, many are thankful that it wasn't much worse. As devastating as it was, Sidr has taken far fewer lives than 1991's Cyclone Gorky, which killed at least 138,000 people, and 1970's Bhola, which left as many as 500,000 people dead and is considered the deadliest cyclone, and one of the worst natural disasters, in human history.

Mainly, this is because Bangladesh has gotten a lot better at dealing with cyclones, which build in the Bay of Bengal and surge north to hit the country with dreadful regularity. Over the past decade especially, the country's early warning and preparedness systems have improved considerably. Officials evacuated some 3.2 million people who lived along the coastline in the days before Sidr hit, and stockpiled relief supplies and rescue equipment. Soon after the storm passed, the Bangladeshi government quickly began distributing 4,000 metric tons of rice, along with thousands of tents and blankets, and deployed more than 700 medical teams to the worst-affected areas. Early warnings and preparations had a "significant mitigating effect in this emergency," according to the United Nations Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "[The system] has worked much, much better than before," says A. Atiq Rahman, executive director of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, of the country's disaster preparations. "The death toll is going to be an order of magnitude less."

Still, keeping future death tolls low is likely to get a lot harder. Scientists believe that global warming will make cyclones in the region bigger and more frequent. That's bad news for Bangladesh, whose location and geography makes it not only particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change but also extremely hard to protect. Most of Bangladesh sits on the giant alluvial delta created by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, whose courses are constantly shifting, making it difficult to build up river banks to protect farmland. A World Bank project, backed by France, Japan and the U.S., would construct 8,000 km of dikes to control the rivers, but the $10 billion proposal has run into opposition from farmers whose land it would take. Massive Dutch-style dikes to hold back the sea - and future cyclone-induced waves - are probably even more unworkable. "The soil isn't steady as such - it's mud," says Rahman, who is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and chair of the Climate Action Network South Asia. "You have these huge, rapidly changing geological dynamics here that make it a very hard place to protect."

On a more human scale, however, there are some slivers of hope. Already people in some areas of Bangladesh have begun building houses on tall stilts to evade annual floodwaters. Non-governmental organizations such as U.K.-based Practical Action have also developed simple house designs - two-foot-high concrete plinths topped with inexpensive and easily replaced jute panel walls - that help prevent some homes from being washed away. CARE, the U.S.-based NGO, has helped people living along the coast rediscover forgotten farming techniques such as baira cultivation, or floating gardens, an age-old agricultural system well suited to areas that are flooded for long periods of time. Farmers might also benefit from salt-tolerant varieties of rice or fast-growing crops that can be harvested before the devastating monsoons arrive. It will help, too, if the Bangladeshi government speeds up its implementation of plans created after earlier ruinous floods, including improving drainage in cities, better sanitation management and fixing up the worst slums.

Regardless of these preparations, much of Bangladesh will be transformed if current global warming trends continue. As the sea level rises, vast swaths of coastal land will disappear in coming decades - as much as 18% of Bangladesh's current landmass, according to the World Bank. And as the rivers swell with water from melting Himalayan glaciers, land in the center of the country will also disappear. Those effects, combined with more frequent and stronger cyclones, could spark an exodus of climate refugees fleeing for the cities and for other countries.

That's a problem, because Bangladesh is already one of the most densely populated countries on the globe - just under half the population of the U.S. crammed into an area the size of the state of Iowa. Neighboring India is already so worried about the growing number of Bangladeshi migrants that it is building a huge fence on the two nations' shared border. Rahman, however, sees a silver lining: Bangladesh's fleeing multitudes can help feed the West's need for cheap labor as its own population ages. "The globalization of the climate process will force the globalization of the demographic process," he says. And if the rich world is not ready to let in millions of Bangladeshis looking for somewhere dry to live? "The rich world caused this problem so they're going to have to pay for it," says Rahman. "I've started telling my colleagues from Europe and Canada that we might have to introduce a system that says if you produce 10,000 tons of carbon you have to take a Bangladeshi family. They don't like hearing that." They may have to get used to it.

The last comment is hilarious but ironically very true.

Farhad

November 19, 2007, 11:28 PM

USA giving only $2 million? what the hell

According to the article, a US under secretary would land in BD to disclose the US governments relief assistance. That means there'll probably be more to come. I think the figure of 2 million is only what theyve already assured.

Although its great that these countries are providing relief, Im just surprised more countries havent donated. Even a hundred thousand would be fine. I know this may come off as ungrateful, but seriously, that kind of money is like a dollar when you look at it in the context of a country. The worlds worth is 33 trillion for gods sake....And they (barring KSA) come up with 42 mil??? Lets look at it this way, when Katrina hit, in a country that the World knows can handle itself, 98 countries donated, and now with Sidr, in a country thats already stretched to the breaking point, 11 countries/organizations donate? Does that seem fair to you? Is the loss of human life in an undeveloped country just not as important?

*Edit: Just checked and BD gave $1 million in Katrina aid. Im proud, considering the country with the 2nd largest economy in the world, Japan, gave 500 thousand, and other countries (all much richer than BD might i add) offered below 50 thousand...

kalpurush

November 20, 2007, 01:49 AM

Why us?...why NOT US? they do the damage and we pay! WHY???

Alien

November 20, 2007, 06:56 AM

Lets look at it this way, when Katrina hit, in a country that the World knows can handle itself, 98 countries donated, and now with Sidr, in a country thats already stretched to the breaking point, 11 countries/organizations donate? Does that seem fair to you? Is the loss of human life in an undeveloped country just not as important?
.

Those aids to Katrina weren't aid, there were vain attempt at sucking up. Worked well for some and not for others. That's just how the world is, get used to it.

Kabir

November 20, 2007, 09:50 AM

Just saw today, Canada's offering up to $3 million.

I'm sick and tired of seeing this up to crap...reminds me of the fake boxing day sale.

Hatebreed

November 20, 2007, 10:31 AM

It's very generous of the Saudi gov't to offer $100m. I feel the world's richest countries can do better. Even if their contributions are small, I expected more countries to come to our aid.

akabir77

November 20, 2007, 10:58 AM

USA giving only $2 million? what the hell

Also they r sending three air craft carrier and people to help. Beside US is running two wars...
I also like to thank other countries like India, Canada, Saudi Arabia for their help or pledge... Hope the money reach us before its too late...

Thank god that any political party is not in power else most of this money would go to their pocket...

I saw a show on PBS yesterday with A UN guy and our US ambassador. He was asked what do you need right now. and he was struggling to answer what they need. his third or fourth demand was water??? Anyway UN guy also said because of the shelter that was build last few years has made them avoid a huge lose of life.

According to the AMB 40,000 Vol. helped people to move to the shelters...

Farhad

November 20, 2007, 01:16 PM

Those aids to Katrina weren't aid, there were vain attempt at sucking up. Worked well for some and not for others. That's just how the world is, get used to it.

If you go ahead and check the dictionary, aid is any sort of financial assistance. It doesnt necessarily have to come from the goodness of the heart. So even if all Katrina relief "was just a vain attempt at sucking up", it was aid as well. And just because "thats how the world is", I shouldnt have to get used to it. If all people did that, there would be no social reforms, and all countries would probably be in dictatorship rule right now....

Farhad

November 20, 2007, 01:23 PM

. his third or fourth demand was water??? Anyway UN guy also said because of the shelter that was build last few years has made them avoid a huge lose of life.

According to the AMB 40,000 Vol. helped people to move to the shelters...

Whats wrong with demanding water? Its one of the most important things Bangladesh needs right now. Clear, drinkable water at least....

Rabz

November 20, 2007, 01:25 PM

It's very generous of the Saudi gov't to offer $100m. I feel the world's richest countries can do better. Even if their contributions are small, I expected more countries to come to our aid.

Yeah, you are right.
May be "natural disaster" in Bangladesh has lost its value.
Same as Aussies winning a cricket match.

Saudi is generous indeed for thier 100M offering.
But then again, with the price of current oil market, its gonna take them less than few minutes to earn back that amount... :-D..

Tigers_eye

November 20, 2007, 02:04 PM

A guy was stating NTV, ATN or channel I can't remember which one (last night) translating as best I can

"The water was coming fast I was drowning suddnely I found a space (most probably between two branches of a tree), came up and had my elder son, picked him up but lost the grip of the younger one. He just slipped. I couldn't hold on to him. I lost him and the water washed him away. Till now can't find him." He could not say anything else. Tears rolling down the cheeks explained the boy's fate.

If this does not bring tears then listen to this one:

"Lost my wife, my family, my home. Don't know what to do." Clearly there wasn't any more tears left on his eyes. The elderly person also said, "my brothers have died too."

Another one said, "well, the ones died had a better fate. We who survived, don't have water to drink, places to stay, pots to cook."

After all this we still worry about our land being used for greater cause (dam to protect low land areas)?

akabir77

November 20, 2007, 02:05 PM

Whats wrong with demanding water? Its one of the most important things Bangladesh needs right now. Clear, drinkable water at least....

Yes that's why food and water should have been his first demand. and it wouldn't matter if he had said very quickly all his demands... but he was huhhhhhhhh cloths... huhhhhhhhhh etc etc which sounded and looked weired...

SMHasan

November 21, 2007, 06:17 PM

The last few days were extremely depressing for all the Bangladeshi citizen I believe. I knew it was gonna be a big one, fear came true.

The only problem is it came in such a bad time when the whole country is trying to stand up after years of corruption and injustice. No time is good time to have this kind of cyclone but this 'Sidr' have done some serious damage to us and our economy.

I was watching the ATN news today and I was shocked to see some one trying to grab a deadbody in a canal. The channel reported that the local people could not recognise whose body it was.

India has lifted the ban on export of non-Basmati rice only to Bangladesh to help survivors of its devastating cyclone.

This was conveyed to Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury during his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the sidelines of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers conference in Kampala, Uganda, on Wednesday evening.

The lifting of the ban, imposed on all countries, of export of non-Basmati rice whose price is below 400 dollars per ton, is applicable only to Bangladesh, a senior Indian official said.

The meeting between Chowdhury and Mukherjee lasted for more than an hour most of which was devoted to discussion on the measures needed to help Bangladesh in its hour of humanitarian crisis following the monstrous cyclone Sidr.

Chowdhury apprised Mukherjee of the devastations caused by the storm and gave a list of goods Bangladesh needs to help the survivors get back to normal life.

India is considering the requirements of Bangladesh and has promised to extend all possible assistance to its eastern neighbour.

Mukherjee conveyed to Chowdhury India's willingness for a long-term rehabilitation plan for cyclone survivors, the official said.

India has already announced an one million dollar comprehensive relief package for cyclone-hit people of Bangladesh and more assistance is likely to follow.

An Indian plane carrying relief material reached Bangladesh on Thursday and another is expected to reach the next day, the official said.

Mukherjee and Chowdhury will have an opportunity to meet again in Delhi next month when the Saarc foreign ministers meet in Indian capital for two days from December 7.

cricket_pagol

November 27, 2007, 03:27 AM

Check this report, Resilence of Bangladeshi People
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi<wbr>/south_asia/7112909.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7112909.stm)

Nocturnal

November 27, 2007, 06:21 PM

a good Prothom-alo article (http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTIxOTk=) (scroll down for pics) about Sundorbon after SIDR .

SS

November 30, 2007, 08:36 AM

One fourth of Sundorbon ruined and it will take years to recover. More support was requested from Chief of Foresty.
source : http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=13649

Generosity doesn't depend on means; that's what the dwellers of a city slum have proved.

Touched by the sufferings and pains of thousands of homeless people affected by cyclone Sidr, residents of the Karail slum have come forward with whatever little they have.

It is not that these slum dwellers themselves have enough to eat and put on their backs. However their limited ability didn't stop them from thinking big when it comes to helping those worse off.

Karail Basti is located in between Mohakhali and Banani in the capital and is home to mostly very poor people working as domestic aides, garments workers, rickshawpullers, petty shopkeepers and hawkers.

They have donated one truckload of clothes to Brac authorities for distribution among the now homeless inhabitants in Sidr affected areas.

Taslima Begum, who maintains her four-member family selling rice cakes in the slum, donated two maxis, a new sari and some old baby clothes.

"I felt so bad when I saw the state of the costal people on the television, especially women and children who now have nothing to eat and no clothes to wear during winter," she told The Daily Star.

"We do not have abundant

assets, but somehow we are getting by. But the people hit by the cyclone have lost everything," said this compassionate young woman, referring to the damage caused by Sidr that ripped through the southern coast of the country on November 15 leaving over 3000 dead.

Thirty-year-old widow Hazera only makes Tk 1200 a month working as a domestic aide in three houses. She starts work at dawn everyday and finishes late in the evening. Hazera said she donated 40 pieces of clothes including three saris and a bed sheet.

Hazera, a mother of four, said, "We are poor, but the cyclone-hit people are poorer now. They have nothing, no home, clothes or food to eat. We poor people can realise how painful it can be to be in a situation like that."

Khadeza, another 30-year-old working as a domestic aide, said, "We as human beings must help the Sidr victims, because we may also become victims of similar disasters at any time."

Karail slum, an almost isolated place within the capital city because of the lakes flowing on its three sides, is home to over 100,000 people. The houses here are tin-shed, shabby and congested with hardly any sanitation facilities. The thin and often malnourished children in tatters loitering around here speak of their poverty.

However, these downtrodden people of this city have shone through the dust and grime in their lives, with the generosity of their hearts.

M Sekander Ali, president of the mosque committee of the slum, handed over the truckload of clothes to Brac authorities. "We shall be happy if these clothes can bring some joy to at least some people in the cyclone-hit areas," he said.

Brac, which runs some education, health and micro-credit programmes in the slum, has appreciated their donation.

"This is a manifestation of spontaneous people's feeling towards human beings," said M Anwarul Haq, director of Public Affairs and Communications, Brac.
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One of several CNG filling stations between Kanchpur Bridge and Jatrabari of the capital which BNP big shots built on the Kutubkhali canal, drastically reducing Dhaka's drainage capability. PHOTO: STAR --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>